


Lovely Lilacs

by betterlookingtwin



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Past Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:41:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23669317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betterlookingtwin/pseuds/betterlookingtwin
Summary: Cloud hasn't kissed anyone yet. Somehow Aerith draws the truth out of him. And offers to help out.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 10
Kudos: 113





	Lovely Lilacs

Forget the fiends, Cloud was warier of Aerith's honest observations. Her remarks sliced through him like he wasn't wearing armor. Whenever she opened her mouth, she would either ask something silly like his favorite color (blue), or she would say something like, 'I like the real Cloud underneath. Don't you?' (Whatever the hell that meant.)

Cloud was sweaty and dotted in monster blood. He needed a shower and to clean his Buster Sword. They were out gathering materials from monsters. There was a BeastHorn tusk worth 5000 munny. Cloud sliced up the fiend and its little minions, 20 in all. Aerith had been more interested in chatting and teasing him than fighting (her support spells definitely helped though). She seemed to know which buttons of his to push and where and when. And exactly how much she could get away with. 

Cloud stepped on a small purple flower. He lifted his boot. There was a whole field of them. Were these lilacs? He didn't know lilacs from lavender from wisteria (wisteria _was_ a flower, right?)

Aerith knelt beside a patch of the (possible?) lilacs. Cloud halted, and he turned to wait on her. “These remind me of him." Him? Cloud shifted his suddenly tense muscles. Aerith hadn’t mentioned a ‘him’ before. Was there some guy in her life? 

“Lilacs symbolize first love.” Aerith's sea-green gaze flicked to his. Cloud fought the urge to break the eye-contact. He was a SOLIDER, a killer, but Aerith made him feel like the bumbling 21-year-old he was. There was no telling what she would do next. She was one step ahead of him, always. 

Aerith plucked a stem of lilacs. The flowers were the lightest shade of purple. “Who was your first?” 

“My first?” She probably didn't mean it that way, but Cloud's thoughts went there. He flushed. Could a giant fiend show up and end this conversation? The Turks? _Sephiroth?_

Aerith snickered at his changing expressions. “First love, silly." She twirled the flower between her fingers. Something wistful flickered across her face, some old pain. The 'him' she mentioned must have left her or hurt her. What an idiot. 

Cloud turned away from her and folded his arms. He didn't want to fall in love. He didn't want to offer so much of himself to anyone. He could barely function as he was. “Doesn’t matter.” 

“It so matters.” Aerith marched up to Cloud until they were front to front. She studied his face intently. This time Cloud did glance away. His SOLDIER training prepared him for interrogation and how to withstand torture. But not how to handle pretty girls who asked too many questions. 

"Never kissed anyone?"Aerith asked. "Ever?"

So, they were having this conversation. Cloud sighed. “Never." 

“Do you want to?” 

Of all the questions she could ask. Cloud felt himself change color. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took one steadying breath. "It's not like I'm fighting off offers." The idea that anyone could know him, the real him, and still want him was too much to ask. 

Aerith poked him hard in the chest. It probably hurt her finger more than him. He dragged his gaze back to her. “Are you kidding? There would be rioting in the streets for you.”

Yeah, right. Cloud scoffed. “Rioting in the streets? Sure, to send me to prison.”

Aerith's eyes glinted, and she bit her lip. Cloud avoided staring at her mouth. It took SOLDIER First-Class levels of self-control. "Maybe," Aerith said, "maybe, I'm offering."

Did she just—did Cloud hear that right? He hesitated too long. Aerith bolted. She made it a few steps from him. He seized her by the wrist and pulled her back. "Don't I get to say anything?" Cloud asked. 

Aerith nodded. "Say anything."

But Cloud didn't want to talk. He glided his fingers across the curve of her face. Her eyes were so, so bright. Her glossy pink lips spread into a smile. There was no not looking at her mouth now. And she was staring at his too. 

Aerith explored the plane of his chest, slowly sliding her fingers across the bumpy material of his shirt. “Are you going to kiss me or what?” She tilted her head.

"If you shut up." Cloud smiled, and he couldn't kiss her if she made him smile like this. He leaned in and brushed his mouth against hers. He felt her breath hitch. The awkwardness melted away after a few seconds. It was a gentle, slow kiss. He didn’t want to let go of her; she was warm and soft and beautiful. Wasn't it strange they called it 'falling' for someone? Rather than losing his footing, Cloud felt like he found it. 

Eventually, they broke apart to breathe and look at each other. 

Aerith grinned at him. “Was that really your first one?"

Cloud huffed. 

“Did you like it?” 

“Maybe,” Cloud said. “But I should probably do it again, to see.” 

Aerith tapped her chin as if pretending to think. Then smiled. "We got another 20 minutes before we have to head back to camp." 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to point out errors, typos, or mistakes. 
> 
> I would like to formally apologize for calling Zack an idiot. LOL. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.


End file.
